Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1887-09-29
Battle OF franklin.


Hood could not resist the temptation
to pursue Schotie.d who had but sew
enteen thousand men, while he had
over forty thousandl, whom he hoped
to overtake and destroy before he could
reach Nashville. 1T was race be-
tween them. Schofeld had passed
through Columbia in rapid march, the
enemy in hot pursuit. The next point
he was aiming to reach was the village
OF Franklin, which lies in the bend of
lit o river that sweeps around it. If
he could but get his artillery and bag
gage-trains safely across that river. it
would afford him line of defense
which he could hold till he could con-
tinue the march in safety. Accord
ingly he had sent forward pressing
message to have pontoons at that point
to construct bridge, that he might pass
over without delay. " hat was his CON
sternation on arriving to find that not a
single pontoon had been provided
Nothing remained but to throw up
hasty earthworks across the river, and
drawing his little army within it. to
make his siand there, to live or to die.
The Confederates came on in force, and
attacked with the utmost fury. Braver
men never marched to battle. The
events OF war as of peace sometimes
depend on very slight cause, 1T is said
that the day before Eo d had heen in
ill-humor, and had reproached his G en-
erals for allowing the Federal army to
csc pc atSpring Hill. Such reproaches
stung the proud spirit of brave men,
and they went into battle with q bitter
fnaIIny 1atnrD,innl Ia al,
for reproach hereafter. In this mood
Cleburne, who made that gallant
charge at Chickamauga, led his division
into the fire, and was actually spurring
his horse over the breastworks,
when horse and rider fell under
u shower OF balls. His death
recalls an incident of which
Sam Jones makes every effective use.
1t seems that the Confederate line, rs
it itadvanced, was enfiladed by Federal
battery. Seeing his men cut to pieces,
General Hood sent one of his aids with
the following order: Give my compli-
ments to General Cleburne, and tell
him to do me the favor to take that bat
terry! The aid Disappeared, and
quickly returned with the message:
General Cleburne is dead, SIR" Again
the commander spoke: "Give my COM
| plimcnts to General Adams, and tell
him to carry that battery!"
The carnage was fearful. In those
five hours tthe battle began at four
o'clock in the afternoon, and continued
till nine, and at that season-it was. the
last day of November, when the sun
sets before five oclock-it was chiefly
after nightfall SO that both sides
could see to fire only by the fash ng
of each others guns the Confederates
lost SIX thousand men! The number Of
officers killed was such as was seldom
known in the war. Mr.. Cunningham, of
the Nashville -american, says that,
| though he was little more than q
boy, he was in the ranks, and in the
very front. The first charge of the
Confederates had broken our line in
the center, and though they were soon
of the breastworks, while our troops
soon formed another line behind it.
The two were but twenty-five yards
aparts, and at this close range poured
a murderous fire into each other, and
that when he came to the ditch it
was filled with the dying and the dead,
SO that he had to climb over them to
| get to the breastworks. Those stand
ing in the ditch loaded the rifles, and
passed them up to those in front, who
| thus kept up constant firing, but ex
| pected every moment, as the assault
seemed hopeless, to receive an order
from General Stahl, who was standing
just behind them, to retreat, but the
/, grim soldier, with German stub